Handle assemblies for cargo doors on airplanes for aerodynamic reasons must be flush-mounted to the door and must be operable from both outside the door and inside of the door. Consequently such prior handle assemblies include an external flush-mounted handle mechanism used to drive a door locking system to secure the hinged cargo door to the door frame of the airplane. The handle assembly includes a housing, an inside handle, an actuator, a rod assembly and an outside handle subassembly. Both the outside and inside handles are attached to the actuator with the outside handle being spring loaded in a down retracted position inside the housing. A spring loaded hinged door assembly attached to the housing provides access to the retracted and flush outside handle.
To operate the handle assembly between an open and a closed retracted position, the handle includes a bumper that rides on a ramp inside of the housing. Since the handle is spring actuated, the handle spring retracts the handle forcing the handle down the ramp rotating the handle and aligning it within the housing to the stowed position. This action of the bumper riding on the ramp within the housing after repeated use causes failure of either the bumper, the housing or both through repeated use. These failures require replacement of the handle assembly or the housing assembly which is an expensive and time consuming proposition. In addition because the housing is a one piece design the entire housing needs to be replaced upon failure which adds to the expense and maintenance of the handle assembly. Consequently a need existence for an improved handle assembly construction which addresses the drawbacks of prior handle assembly designs which can be repaired and maintained easily and inexpensively.